Wednesday, January 25, 2012

New Year's greetings to all of you! To ring in this new year, Dr. David Reagan, Dennis Pollock of Spirit of Grace Ministries and I discussed on television's Christ in Prophecy why you should be looking forward to the future with great hope.

Hope's Necessary For Life

Dr. Reagan: The Bible says that the Creator of this universe is a God of hope. The Apostle Paul wrote, "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, nor has the mind of man conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him."

But, we live in a world characterized by increasing fear and despair. People fear such things as terrorism, war, cancer, bankruptcy — the list goes on and on. Perhaps I could sum it up by saying that people fear the uncertainties of life and the certainty of death. The bottom line is there's an overwhelming need for hope, and most of mankind seems to be seeking that hope in all the wrong places.

How important is hope to life itself? Is it essential or not?

Dennis Pollock: I think the answer to that can be found when you look at where people are and what the situation is when there is no hope, when for them things seem utterly hopeless. Probably the worst and ugliest thing that a person can do to themselves is to kill themselves. Suicide is always the case when Satan is lying and whispering in someone's ear, "Your life is bad and it's going to be bad tomorrow and it's going to be bad next year. It will never improve." But, no matter how bad your life is, if you get the idea it will get better, eventually you can get through the hard times. It's when you're convinced not only is it terrible now, but it will always be this way, that's basically hopelessness and that's when people start to think about suicide.

Let me give you a little illustration. When we were children (and I don't know if it happened to you, but in my case) there were times when we'd be playing softball and choose up teams. After the first inning the score would be 10 to 1 and you find yourself on the losing side. Now, let's say you are playing seven innings and you are thinking after the first inning, "We had a lousy inning, but next inning we'll get it back." So you play one more inning and now it is 15 to 1. That's usually when the realization comes into your mind, "We've lost this game. We don't have what it takes. There's no way." You know you've still got five more innings to play. How does that knowledge affect you? Well, for most kids what happens is you get silly, you fool around, and you daydream. You don't take the game seriously anymore. You don't give it your best effort, because in your mind you're already a loser and there's no hope. The good thing about that situation is finally the game would mercifully come to an end and you could get on, and maybe the next day you would be on a better team.

It's not quite so funny when people see themselves as losers about their very life. Their life is bad. They're a loser already and there's no hope. That's hopelessness, but the Bible has so many good things to say about hope.

Dr. Reagan: That's so true, for Romans 15:13 says point blank our God is a God of hope. But, Satan loves to whisper in people's ears, "There is no hope."

Nathan Jones: I don't think you have to even be a loser to be hopeless. While you were talking about people who feel like their life is destined to be a loser, I thought about Simon and Garfunkel. They wrote a song called "Richard Cory." It's a very famous song about a man who had everything. He was born of a banker. He had power, grace and style, and he had lots of money. The main character is singing about how wretched it was to work in Richard Cory's factory. And then, one day, he reads in the paper that Richard Cory had killed himself. He was aghast, wondering how could a guy who had everything go and kill himself.

Even if we are winners in life, according to how man sees it, we are not winners. There's still that emptiness — that God-shaped hole — in us that needs to be filled. No matter how successful we are in life, we will always despair in the end without the Lord.

Christ's Return Equals Hope

Dennis Pollock: Dave, when I first started working with you I noticed that one of the themes that you would focus on was hope. You preached about hope. You wrote about hope. So, I started to wonder, "What's the connection between hope and the coming of Christ?" How does that work with your main theme concerning the return of the Lord. And so, I began to study the Scriptures, and one, I found hope is a major theme of Scripture, but two, it has a special connection with the return of our Lord Jesus Christ. In fact, probably that classic passage on the Rapture — 1 Thessalonians 4 — where Paul says the Lord will descend from Heaven and the dead in Christ will be raised and we'll be caught up together with them, well that entire line of thought is preceded by Paul saying to the Thessalonian believers, "Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope" (1 Thes. 4:13). The whole premise of what Paul is going to present about the Rapture is based on the fact that we do have hope.

Dr. Reagan: I was reading 1 Corinthians 13 one time — that beautiful love poem by Paul — and I got to the very end where the last verse says there are three great Christian virtues: faith, hope and love, and the greatest of these is love. I started to move on and the Holy Spirit said, "Wait, read this again." So, I read it again and again and suddenly as I began to think back over my life. I grew up in the church. I was there every time the door was open and I could think of hundreds of sermons I had heard about faith. I could think of thousands I had heard about love. But, I could not think of a single sermon I had ever heard about hope, because hope is directly related to Bible prophecy and Bible prophecy is ignored in the preaching and teaching programs of most churches. And yet, the more you know about Bible prophecy, the greater your hope will be because you learn about the promises of God for the future.

Nathan Jones: We had such an instance of hope derived from Bible prophecy sent to me this week. As you know, I get all the email questions that come in and I answer people's questions, which is a blessing. This one gentleman named Christopher wrote, "I live with chronic pain. I can't sleep. I'm in agony all of the time. At three in the morning I get online and I watch "Christ in Prophecy" because your message of the Lord's soon return gives me hope." It's stories like this that prove that knowing Jesus is coming back gives people hope.

In the next part of this series on looking forward with hope, we'll hear some shocking stories about how hopeleness can kill.

48 comments:

I recently attended a christian church close by (there r very few churches in my neighborbood) and at first i was excited to be with believers again. I went 3 wks and heard nothing at all about the rapture or any prophecy...... i asked the pastor how he felt about these two important subjects and i was told .... uh yea... we hope the rapture is true, but have found its too controversial to teach on.

Needless to say.... i will stay home by myself and keep my hope alive by studying the word.

@Susie, pastors are on a mission to build their church, so rarely take on a controversial topic that could possibly decrease their numbers. That they don't teach on Bible prophecy shouldn't discourage you from attending the church, though, if their doctrine is still sound. After all, God Wants You To Go To Church.

Thank u nathan :) ... i tell ya tho... it takes a lot of effort for me to get to church... so if im going to go, its going to be a church that is alive and serves meat! Haha! I have always felt believers can have as much of God as they want. I want it all! And going to church to watch a silly play on a finance class the pastor is offering isnt my idea of church. Having said that tho.... i do agree with u so i wont stop looking and trying new ones. :)

I didn’t want to comment on this because it is a stance that pulls me down faster than any other in existence. ‘Go to church’ – what, at any price, including the apostate teaching so rife here in England?

I went to Church yesterday with some of my family to the interment of my uncle’s ashes! It is the place I was christened and our forebears are resident in the Church yard. Nice vicar, lovely man, his wife is also a vicar so they do not teach leadership is male only. Some of their Bishops are homosexuals; they are soundly ecumenical and are content to have icons of Mary for us all to peruse. They DO read from the Bible, which is in their favour, and then teach an allegorical interpretation, a very PC, social gospel for sure. Dear man invited me to take Tuesday morning communion again; just as I did decades ago after I took my boys to school. So kindly, the vicar offered me the choice of just coffee or a full English breakfast. Presumably AFTER communion – all very civilised! What’s the point, knowing God’s Word is kept as an embarrassing after-thought.

We are called to fellowship with God while having the mind of Christ. For eight years I forced myself to attend yet another very active, but spiritually dead congregation. It felt like slow death and I sank ever further into spiritual, emotional and physical despair. Till I realised The Lord was telling me to 'come apart' because mixing light and dark = the twilight zone and mixing hot with cold = lukewarm. That Church is Emergent today, even though I did my level best to show church leaders right from the start the error of 'Alpha', and where it would lead, as well as all the un-biblically false words infiltrating the people via the lyrics of songs fit only for the rubbish tip.

‘Go to church’! Chance would be a fine thing! Obedience to the Word is paramount, God knows how to keep the isolated and lonely fed, even encouraged by His own which He brings across our path from time to time. After all, ‘fellowship’ is where two or three are gathered in His name. It’s quality that counts, not quantity. However, it is very difficult to explain this to one who hasn’t had to experience, in a day by day practical way how very ‘dead’ a dead church really is and how it sucks the very life out of us.

Dear Lord – you alone know how soul destroying it is! Thank you for your mercy and provision in this time of famine and drought of the Word.

@E.I., you're not alone. We get people writing in from all over the world, like for example those in South Africa, who cannot find a solid church anywhere. Some countries don't even have enough churches to count on 10 fingers.

I was rocked by the latest statistics coming out of the UK that has church attendance around 900k. And how many people are there in the UK?! To think it was the center of missionary sending for over a hundred years.

We tend to put church in a box by thinking it's an established building. In the NT, churches were gatherings of people, sometimes at houses, other times outdoors by the river or elsewhere. 1,700 years of buildings has made us believe that a church is a building, and not the people who gather in it.

Can't find a church, start a home church. I'm sure there are at least a few families that believe as you do who will gather with you weekly for prayer, worship, Bible learning and accountability. Such gatherings are as necessary for our spiritual lives as water is to our physical lives.

My first comment included ‘church’ in all its definitions. First find a fellow to join the ship! If those few families exist, I am yet to find just one member to show interest. Been there, done that and at the end of the day, we have to go forward, walking in the Holy Spirit with what little we do have. The whole situation does not lack persistent prayer, so now I feel at peace that I have done all that is humanly possible to keep growing with very little human assistance. However, inevitably guilt and condemnation falls on me like a ton of bricks when told I ‘must’ go to church.

If I didn’t have a PC or phone, I would be in exactly the same situation as John on Patmos, Elijah in the wilderness, John Bunyon in a prison cell, the sick in an isolation ward and all those incapacitated for a multitude of reasons. We are called to fellowship with God, and that isn’t at all difficult with prayer and at least part of the Word to know. We are told not to NEGLECT, or abandon the assembling together which is an attitude problem rather than a case of logistics beyond our control; and the purpose is for EXHORTATION in the Word and general encouragement, especially in this last day. That is what I am getting from coming here. If I have neither, then I do what David did, and encourage myself in the Lord. 1Sam30:6. It is another reason why I know the gifts of the Holy Spirit haven’t ended, even on my own; I am STILL part of the Church and NEED their edification.

God blesses, guides and keeps all those who are isolated in a way the many have yet to know.

I can understand your position, Ladies, but it worries me. We as believers are meant to have fellowship with other Christians in more than just conversation. This blog was never meant to replace church, but to supplement it. Here you can't get worship, accountability and the depth of relationship that a good church should give you.

Hello NathanI am concerned that you are worried. Worship is as valid alone as with others, so is praise. When it is spontaneous it is genuine and uncontrived. Pastors are accountable to God for how he cares for the flock in general. Heb.13:17. Individually we are only accountable to God, no-one else. We have a God given conscience and I respond quickly when I am out of sync with The Word. I don’t need a priest; I already have one in Jesus. Hebrews 4:13 Romans 18.

Depth of relationship? Not sure what you mean by that? If those I know do not choose to fellowship with me in the Word, what am I supposed to do about it? I am already in trouble with some of the family for being a Christian and I am suffering enough because of it as I endeavour not to deny The Lord at the same time. What’s more, I have only found one person in a ‘church’ who ever wanted to get into any ‘depths’ outside the formal ‘church’ setting; and she died years ago. I have conversation with The Lord all the time, do you think I need to do more to make it meaningful?

Please understand that this is not a lifestyle choice; it is a situation I never asked for and I can do nothing about it so I am getting on with my walk with The Lord and not stagnating while waiting for Him to put me in a sound church. Or worse, going to a bad one and becoming spiritually destitute, as before.

The last thing I need is a burden of condemnation put on to my shoulders when there is nothing more I can do to change it. The Lord knows better than we do what is good for us, I have to trust and obey, and wait to see if HE will bring about a change.

If you are worried about the blog being a replacement to ‘church’; well it isn’t a replacement, but it is this or nothing. So if you are worried about my contributions bringing down the blog, and spoiling the witness of L&L, then of course, I shall stop posting.

Sue.... my situation is so similar to yours... im sure there r a lot of people like us living for the Lord in an isolated situation. I have never equated l&l as church so i dont really have a comment for nathan on that one. I know the Lord prefer we had a strong church to attend however it simply isnt reality for us right now. I dont see it as a real huge problem myself. He will see to that need for me as he sees to every other need. So nathan.... i think its safe to NOT be concerned that we r replacing cburch with this blog. But i appreciate ur concern. :)

To my friends at l & l.... my cousin is doing so much better! Praise and glory and honor to the Living God for answering prayer and healing her! She had a grim diagnosis but has made miraculous progress and is going home monday!!!! Thank u all for ur prayer:)

This is excellent news about your cousin; again Gods Grace has met a need, Praise The Lord! May He continue to strengthen and uphold her in the coming days. Make sure she remembers to Abide in Him at all times; then He will abide in her so she can draw His Life into her body, mind and spirit from the Vine.

Heavenly Father please bring a fruitful harvest of blessing from this situation for Susie and her cousin. In Jesus' wonderful name.

God bless you both and your families with His Love and comfort.Maranatha!Suex

Well im jumping way off topic here... but this has come up several times recently.. so... sue.. nathan and whoever else .... What is the deal with all the pyramids in egypt that have hyrogliphics (sp) that show space ships and images that look like aliens? I am planninv in researching this when i have comp access but im just curious if anyone else is ever asked about this?? Thanks

I dont go to church. I hope no one ever thinks you HAVE to go to church or you aren't saved. Church does NOT equal salvation. (I know nobody said that).

The people in my life that are the greatest examples of being a Christian are/were not church goers. Some of the worst examples were.

There is a sound and Biblically stong church that I could attend (and Dr. Regan has visited often). The problem...it is too big and too rich. And some of the congregation seem to be more into the pastor than the Lord. For example, I was in there office on a Sunday morning and people were calling to see if that pastor would be teaching...in other words...if he isn't there neither will I be. I don't like it when pastors become "the draw" as opposed to worship of the Lord.

I did have a lot of fellowship with a church once for about 7 years. Very involved. BUT it turned out, I finally discovered when a radical pastor was hired, to be a liberal church and I abandoned it. I knew a lot of the people there were liberals and finally put 2 and 2 together.

Now I'm like Sue and Susie (I think if I read the comments right...I hurried...gotta go to work). I'm not in a church but my fellowship with God is stronger than ever. And though L&L is not a church...it is the ministry that most helps my passions for hope in Jesus via the end times to burn bright. L&L may not provide fellowship but it does provide "food for my hunger". And that "food" is better for my soul right now, in these end days, than church fellowship.

I would say we do get some e-fellowship on this site...and for some of us that is just fine. We aren't meeting in person but we have Christian love for each other nonetheless. And someday we will meet soon. For me...that is enough for now.

If this site is going to supplement church for some, that'd make me your pastor. So, here's what your "pastor" says... God wants you in a church. Period. I hear what you're saying, but they all sound like excuses. It's the best that the Lord wants for you. Don't accept second best.

Before you respond back to argue the point, take it up with God first. I'm just the messenger pointing out what you all well know from the Bible.

I liken it to looking at clouds. You can see a lot of things in clouds that look like whatever you think they look like. So if a completely random formation like a cloud can make you imagine spaceships and aliens then you can project whatever you want into a hyroglyphic. I mean looking at some people walking down the street with colored hair, tatoos, body piercings all over, etc...well, i see aliens in that, too.

I've read over 20 books on the pyramids and never heard any of the egyptologists claim the markings look alien in nature. I have wondered, though, if the New Jerusalem will be more pyramid-like than cubed, and if Egypt's pyramids were not fashioned as such as their culture was deeply Satanically controlled during the eras they were built. Hmm.

Hi everyone! My question about the pyramids was prompted by a friend arguing with me that the pyramids were built under instruction of aliens and that there is proof of that in the drawings. I didnt really no how to answer cuz i have never seen it myself. So i appreciate ur help!!! Nathan dont forget that along our journey, there may be a season of not attending a church... Whats important is staying grounded deeply in the word trusting the Lord will lead your life just like he promises to. If we seek him first... you know.... :)

Billy, i completely agree that focus is to be 100% on Jesus. However.... its my son actually who keeps asking me these things about aliens. I just wanted to check in with yall on it so i could get christian viewpoints and pick up knowlege if possible.

Nathan said “Here you can't get worship, accountability and the depth of relationship”

Nathan you have always been more than welcome to correct me, at any time. But that word beginning with ‘a’, right there in the middle of this sentence REALLY worries me! To be accountable to anyone, such as the law of the land; means to be subject to their judgment. Jesus tells His own NEVER to judge one another apart from false words; judgment belongs to God alone. This was the stance taken by Watchman Nee’s form of spirituality of ‘Covering Theology’; also called the ‘Shepherding Movement’ which has no basis in Scripture whatsoever. It was arrived at by the usual means of taking verses out of their proper context.

“God wants you in a church”.

Unless that church/fellowship is in spiritual darkness! Paul’s letters to the Corinthians were written because of the actions of CARNAL CHRISTIANS among the church. Paul compares saved members of the church, with the unsaved because they are not in obedience to The Word. They are being unbelieving of the Word and acting just like they did while unsaved and were quite happy to remain joined to the world much like the present Emerging church is. There can be no ‘depth of fellowship’ with carnal Christians.

1Cor12:14-18 COME APART - And will be a FATHER unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

The LORD is my Shepherd - and I shall not want. He is more than capable to provide for our needs, even if it means being in the backside of the desert for forty years like Moses or the three spent by Paul. Jehovah Jireh!

I definitely agree with Billy. It really is best avoided and keep eyes front on Jesus. Aliens, and UFO’s, just like ‘Familiar’ spirits (ghosts), poltergeists, mediums, angels, wicca …are all the activities of demons and fallen angels. Get this through to your son from the start. Leviticus 20:27; Deut 18:11

Coming from an Olde country, all this stuff is common. Always just below the surface, it is now practised openly and accepted by the majority. It does need to be faced because even believers are being deceived, or at least challenged, by experiences of lying signs and wonders; including in certain churches. These aren’t ‘tricks’; these things really do happen like Jannes and Jambres who was able to imitate the signs Moses did for Pharaoh in Exodus. ( 2Tim3:8,9.) Simon Magi of Acts 8:9-11 was in their league for demonic powers. Whatever names these practices are called by, they are all performed by demons in different guises for the purpose of deception and to pull folk away from God’s plans and purposes.

However, it is unlikely that your son’s curiosity will be easily assuaged. Now that it’s been aroused, I suggest you take as safe a way as possible and consider ‘Alien Encounters’ by Chuck Missler and Mark Easton. He is a largely ‘safe’ Christian, but with a tendency to be in what you folk call ‘left field’. He is somewhat eccentric, but imo, he is genuinely trying to face these issues squarely using God’s Word. The following link will start you off to finding the others. The bad stuff is always the easiest to find, so be very wise and circumspect.

Aliens and Demons http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=htR3yHItkSI

I’m sure I don’t need to encourage you to handle this prayerfully and in obedience always to the Word. Being informed, ready to have an answer for those who ask is one thing, practise quite another, and to be avoided like the plague.

Susie said "However.... its my son actually who keeps asking me these things about aliens."

If I had known that I would have posted differently.

When I was about 14 a movie called Close Encounters of the Third Kind was very popular. (Alien abductions and visit if you aren't familiar with the movie). Anyway, they contacted the aliens via a 5 notes of music. So, here I am, a dumb teenager, standing in the backyard with a tape recorder, playing those 5 notes over and over trying to call down the aliens. (Embarrassing to tell this story)

My Mom still kids me about it. At that age I actually for a brief time thought aliens may be out there and read some books on UFOs and alien abductions. It was a phase for me. I was a Christian but didn't know then what I know now.

It didn't have any negative effects on me and I quickly moved on to the next great movie in sci-fi, Star Wars (in which aliens were put back in their place...as sci-fi fantasy and not a reality).

I'd say have a brief discussion with your son but don't overwhelm him, just keep it casual talk.

Thanks sue! Thats all i wanted was to get some scripture and some backup. I am explaining to him about familiar spirits and urging him to read the bible. I pretty much live in the word and pray all the time. I just dont know all of it of course and i dont know many people as in love with the Lord as we are to check with. K subject dropped. Thx guys.

Looks like Sue and I have completely different advice. She's more serious...I'm more casual about it. Having gone through it personally makes me advise you take the nonchalant approach. Feel free to tell him about that dumb teenager with the tape recorder...maybe he'll see how dorky it can make one look and laugh about it.

Thank you billy! These teenagers keep us.on our toes. I knew in my heart about familiar spirits and their scope of deception throughout the ages, but honestly, ive never met anyone else who thinks that! Another reason i am blessed by my blog fellowship with u guys. (Not church...) hahahaHard to believe.......

@Billy, loved the mountain building scene in the living room! Weird Al did a great parody with mashed potatoes!

Who hasn't thought about aliens and strange new worlds. It's when we begin putting our faith into it - actually believing in aliens - and not in the Lord that we are falling into the distraction that Satan's so successfully used to get our minds off Christ.

Good shot! That so answers my puzzled reaction to said admonishment "Where did that come from - summats up"

To love, respect and care for a worthwhile ministry like L&L, does not mean we are trailing puppy dogs. Not likely! If expected to do something, then I want to know where that has Bible backing. We are all equally accountable to The Word of God, not one another. It’s to Jesus at the Bema we have to give an account (logos). There is a lot to be said for loyalty to one another through thick or thin – but not without question.

So it would appear that we three (at least) have just been through a 'test'. Who do we follow; God or a man? The interesting question remaining is; who/Who set us up?

Wow .... that is very interesting. I am sure you are correct in saying things like this are a test. A friend said to me... "u no susie.. its stupid for u to give money in ur situation". My reply was the same as this "test". I smiled and told her i answer to one person only and that giving is sound doctrine.i never thought of situations like that as a test before tho! Looks like we three (sue,u,myself) are concerned with the most important issue at hand. Our savior and us face to face at the bema. How awesome :):):)

This is soooo cool billy! I was just doin my morning bible study and read gal 1:10 wbich says..For do i now persuade men, or God? Or do i seek to please men? For if i yet pleased men, i should not be the servant of Christ.I love when the Lord speaks to me (us this time) AWESOME :)

Listen to you three, slapping each other on the back and proud that you don't go to church. I sure hope someone struggling with their faith that would be sured up by being a member with the physical body of Christ doesn't cross your comments. Frankly, I'm seriously considering removing them for that reason.

Personally i dont think we are acting all proud that we dont go to cburch nathan. Altho we are solid in our faith and deeply rooted in the word. I am just saying that it is not possible for everyone to attend church. Thats a fact. The blessed point here is that Jesus is our provider and he alone will take care of our situations in life. Every last one of them. Hopefully we will all find a good church to attend someday soon. I know i would love that.

NathanWe are not doing any such thing. If there was a 'church' for me to attend that practices what their statement of faith claims, then I would be glad to go. The reality and fact of life is that no such fellowship exists, yet the Lord still meets my needs. I am only encouraging others in the SAME situation, where there is nowhere to attend, that God knows and provides, He doesn't abandon us.

Surely you aren't encouraging me to go to my son’s church, where the gospel isn’t taught so as not to offend unbelievers who are invited for entertainment purposes; where it is said that we cannot know the Truth. Where Scripture is allegorised into fantasy land? I am not able to go distances just to meet with others for the sake of it.

A few moments ago, I had been talking on the phone to my god-daughter who is in the same situation as me. We encouraged one another as we discussed the feast of Pentecost and worked out the timings from the lunar calendar. We pray for one another at a distance and do what we are able from a distance when illness or family difficulties hit. She rang to tell me that she ordered the book 'Things to Come' by Dwight Pentecost for me and would send it soon.

I am not selfish, I support missions by post, and I even witness of salvation in Jesus where ever, when ever opportunity presents itself, in a shop, at the hospital, on a bus…

My testimony for Jesus is that He makes sure I am well fed and watered regardless of being 'church-less'. What He does for me, he will do for others. That is facing reality and giving Glory to God for His providence.

It makes me really sorrowful that all the flack I get comes from believers. I don't have any trouble with the world, who may think I am nuts, but listen to my witness with respect.

My post that starts "A comment back to "pastor" Jones telling we three (Sue/Susie/I) "go to church!"...

was NOT pointed towards you (I can see where you could mistake it that way, but that's why I clarified immediately in the next post). It was for Rodney and others who were saying that Sue, Susie, I and others are blind mindless followers of L&L who come here to get our marching orders.

My point to them was you told us "hey you three, go to church" and we said "not so fast, Nathan, WE will make that decsion for OUR own personal reasons that WE belive to be correct. We aren't robots programmed by L&L as Rodney and others insinuated.

NONE OF US ARE SAYING PEOPLE SHOULD NOT GO TO CHURCH. I think we are saying YES, go to church, IF YOU ARE ABLE and IF IT IS BIBLICALLY SOUND. That is a HUGE difference. To anyone reading these posts....WE ARE NOT SAYING DON'T GO TO CHURCH.

GO TO CHURCH! But please go for the RIGHT REASON (thinking you HAVE to go or you won't be saved is NOT a right reason, going just to socialize with other Christians is NOT a right reason.) A RIGHT REASON would be to WORSHIP GOD. A RIGHT REASON would be to learn from a BIBLICALLLY SOUND church Pastor.

Finally, IF I truly felt my comments were going to keep someone from going to church then I would say by all means remove them. It's YOUR call, it's YOUR website. If you make that decision...go for it. No hard feelings from me but I hope this post will prevent that from happening.

My friends at l & l.... my closest friend is in the hosp with a grim diagnosis. She has suffered with luekemia for 8 months and now has pbeumonia. She is a believer. I am believing for her recovery and ask u to stand with me please. Im leaving to go pray and annoint her with oil in an hour. Pray for my physical and spiritual strength to handle this too. Thank u my friends.

Hello SusiePraying for you both. God bless you with His strength as you minister to your friend. Believing friends are thin on the ground, so I hope and pray yours will be raised up to full health so you can encourage each other in these difficult days.

Billy I hope you don’t mind if I remark what a change there has been in you since your mini ‘time-out’ with The Lord. I have always appreciated you, but it is so good to see how you have grown even more over the past months. In case there is any doubt, this is meant as a compliment to encourage you in your walk with the Holy Spirit. God bless you dear bro.

Nathan; thanking God for you all at L&L for faithful prayer support for me; and others like Susie. God bless you abundantly.Maranatha!

Sue .. billy.. nathan.... im deeply touched and most greatful for ur support in the Lord. Im reading scripture toher now. Her situation in the worlds eye is bleek. But we r not of this world and God can and will heal her. It is not his will for us to suffer like she is right now. I love u all in the name if Jesus Christ our Lord.